SARASOTA, Fla. — While talks of a ceasefire are making global headlines, its impact is felt right here in Florida.
In Sarasota, a former Israeli general was invited to speak at an event that was met with protestors.
And this was on the eve of when Israeli hostages were expected to be released.
WATCH: Former Israeli defense minister speaks in Sarasota as protesters demand arrest
Inside the Ora at the Morganroth Event Center, the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee welcomed Yoav Gallant, who served as Israel’s Defense Minister during the Hamas attacks.
Outside the event, there were dozens of people protesting Gallant's presence in Sarasota.
The limited ticketed event, meant to commemorate the second remembrance day of Oct. 7, drew a large crowd as Gallant talked about Israel’s current challenges.
"October 7th, 2023, we saw the worst massacres - the most deadly, the most horrible attacks on Jewish people since the Nazi’s in World War 2," said Shepard Englander, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
Last November, Gallant stepped down from the government after reportedly advocating for a hostage release deal that the prime minister did not agree with.
On Sunday, he talked about his experience in the war.
"Yoav Gallant was actually the defense minister that day on October 7th," said Englander. "He had to make the fateful decision of what to do, how to protect Israeli civilians while there were still thousands of Hamas terrorists raiding homes, burning homes, raping women, and what to do to push them back to try to get back as many of the hostages immediately as possible and how to make sense of the whole situation."
The event organizers said they had increased security because of death threats towards the former general, along with the protests happening outside the event.
"I come from a mixed North African, Muslim, Eastern European Jewish background," said Jared Dahan, an organizer with the Progressive Jewish Coalition. "Growing up, it’s been very hard to find Jewish community members that will accept me. When I see events like this, all I can think is that they don’t want people like me here, they don’t want people from my background. It comes across as, in order to be part of this Jewish community, you have to either accept that their supporting genocide or you leave and say there is no space for people like me."
Among the protestors, there was also a doctor who returned overseas after trying to bring aid to Palestinians.
"To bring that guy over here to the United States, and treating him, and commemorating of October 7th with a war criminal like that is not a good action that the United States should stay on," said Dr. Dhiaa Daoud, an emergency medicine doctor in Orlando. "The United States should stay on the correct side of history."
Waving flags and holding signs, many of the protesters called for Gallant’s arrest.
According to a United Nations news agency, the UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) has arrest warrants out for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Gallant, along with a former Hamas commander, citing allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"Yoav Gallant is not welcome anywhere in America, let alone in Florida," said Dahan.
This week, a ceasefire is expected to happen.
"I’ve been wearing this dog tag since October 7th every day," said Englander. "It says 'Bring Them Home Now' and I’m hoping that this will be the last day that I will have to wear it.”
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